US Composite PMI Falls to 51.4 in March, Signaling Slowest Growth Since April 2025

• Los precios del petróleo se dispararon en medio del conflicto entre Irán y EE. UU. que amenaza los suministros mundiales, pero las acciones de EE. UU. se mantuvieron resilientes cerca de máximos históricos impulsadas por los sólidos resultados de Visa y Starbucks el 29 de abril de 2026. • El S&P 500 bajó un 0,1%, el Dow cayó 286 puntos o un 0,6%, el Nasdaq subió un 0,1%; las acciones de Visa saltaron un 8,3% por el gasto resiliente de los consumidores según el CEO Ryan McInerney, Starbucks subió un 8,6% con un mayor gasto por visita en América del Norte. • Funcionarios de la Reserva Federal insinuaron que no habrá recortes de tasas en 2026, eliminando prácticamente las apuestas de los inversores y favoreciendo casi los aumentos debido a la inflación por los precios de la energía; el mercado de bonos tembló.

• La startup de paytech transfronteriza Latitude, de relevancia en EE. UU., salió del modo sigilo esta semana con una financiación semilla de 8 millones de dólares liderada por NEA para abordar las transferencias de dinero empresariales lentas y costosas. • El financiamiento respalda la misión de Latitude de agilizar los pagos internacionales, posicionándola como un competidor en el espacio fintech ante la creciente demanda de transferencias B2B eficientes. • El lanzamiento coincide con el auge de las fintech de abril de 2026, lo que destaca la confianza de los inversores en las innovaciones de paytech a pesar de las incertidumbres económicas derivadas de los precios de la energía y la política de la Fed.

• FOX Business Network (FBN) surpassed CNBC in viewership across business day, market hours, and total day programming during April 2026, according to Nielsen Media Research data released April 29. • FBN's flagship shows "Varney & Co." and "Kudlow" maintained their positions as the top two business programs on television, achieving their 50th and 55th consecutive months of outperforming CNBC counterparts respectively. • The ratings victory underscores FOX Business's competitive dominance in the financial news market during a period of significant Federal Reserve policy announcements and market volatility.

• The Federal Reserve voted to leave the benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at 3.5% to 3.75% on Wednesday, citing concerns about inflation rising amid the war in Iran. • This marks the continuation of the Fed's pause in rate adjustments following three successive 25-basis-point cuts in September, October, and December 2025. • Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss the decision, marking what could be his final interest-rate announcement as Federal Reserve chair.

• U.S. stock futures were slightly down or mixed on Monday morning as investors reacted to stalled peace talks between the United States and Iran. • The geopolitical tension created uncertainty in markets, with traders reassessing risk positions amid the diplomatic impasse. • Energy and defense sectors showed particular sensitivity to the developments, reflecting concerns about potential escalation.

• Tesla's stock fell 3.2% on April 26 after the company reported first-quarter global deliveries of 389,000 vehicles, missing consensus expectations of 410,000 units and marking the weakest quarterly performance in two years. • Management attributed the shortfall to supply chain disruptions at the Berlin and Texas Gigafactories, as well as slower-than-anticipated demand in European and Chinese markets, particularly for the Model 3 and Model Y lineup. • The miss reignites concerns about Tesla's ability to sustain its 50% annual growth target and prompted three major brokerages to lower 2026 earnings forecasts by 8–12%, citing heightened competition from legacy automakers' EV offerings.

• Berkshire Hathaway's cash and equivalents surged to $168 billion at the end of Q1 2026, its highest level in over a decade, as Warren Buffett continued to reduce equity holdings amid concerns over elevated asset valuations. • The conglomerate reduced its Apple stake by 8% during the quarter and trimmed Bank of America holdings further, citing a lack of compelling investment opportunities in current market conditions. • Investment income from fixed-income holdings generated $3.2 billion in the first quarter alone, demonstrating how Berkshire's massive cash reserve is now earning meaningful returns in a higher-rate environment.

• The Federal Reserve released minutes from its April 16 policy meeting, revealing internal division over the appropriate timeline for interest rate cuts, with several governors questioning whether inflation has declined sufficiently to warrant near-term reductions. • Hawks on the committee expressed concern that premature rate cuts could reignite price pressures, while doves argued that pausing at 5.5% risks unnecessarily constraining growth and employment, setting the stage for a contentious May 2 vote. • Market reactions to the minutes were mixed, with bond futures pricing in only a 28% probability of a rate cut by July 2026, down from 35% before the release, while equity index futures declined 0.6% on expectation of extended higher rates.

• The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined to 98.3 in April 2026, down 4.2 points from March, marking the steepest monthly drop since July 2025 as Americans express renewed concern about inflation and job security. • Consumers' expectations for future economic conditions weakened notably, with the forward-looking component falling 6.8 points as respondents cited concerns about rising prices for groceries, gasoline, and housing costs. • The decline suggests potential headwinds for Q2 consumer spending and retail sales, pressuring guidance from discretionary retailers and restaurant operators ahead of earnings season.

• The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.48% to 16,240.35 on Monday, April 26, driven by weakness in mega-cap technology stocks including Apple (down 1.2%) and Microsoft (down 0.9%), as investors reassess growth expectations ahead of the Federal Reserve's May meeting. • Treasury yields climbed to 4.35% for the 10-year note amid inflation concerns, pressuring valuations of rate-sensitive tech companies and spurring profit-taking after recent market gains. • The decline reflects growing caution among portfolio managers about earnings sustainability in the second quarter, with earnings guidance from major tech firms expected to dominate trading through early May.

• The U.S. Treasury successfully auctioned $42 billion in new 10-year notes on April 25, 2026, with the coupon rate settling at 4.38% amid continued demand from foreign central banks and domestic pension funds. • Bid-to-cover ratio reached 2.38x, slightly above the six-month average, indicating solid underlying demand despite elevated yields and concerns about federal deficit growth, which is projected to reach $1.8 trillion for fiscal year 2026. • The auction results suggest stabilization in long-term borrowing costs after weeks of volatility, potentially reducing pressure on the Federal Reserve to adjust its benchmark rate at the May 2 policy meeting.

• Pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Pfizer announced a strategic research collaboration focusing on oncology and immunology, with combined commitments totaling $4.8 billion over five years to accelerate drug development and clinical trial timelines. • The partnership will leverage Eli Lilly's metabolic disease expertise and Pfizer's vaccine platform capabilities to pursue combination therapies for hard-to-treat cancers, with initial clinical trials expected to commence in mid-2027. • Industry analysts view the deal as emblematic of Big Pharma consolidating R&D resources amid rising drug development costs exceeding $2.6 billion per approved medication, while also signaling confidence in oncology market growth.